Top Grammy Winners – ‘Glee’ Success Story

When little-known New York indie band Fun released “We Are Young” as the lead single for their second studio album Some Nights in September 2011, it went largely unnoticed, only garnering some attention from online critics and quickly fading off the Billboard Hot 100 after debuting at No. 53. But then Fox’s Glee covered the song for a pivotal scene in a December 2011 episode, sending sales for the single soaring 1,650%. The show put “We Are Young” on the map and back on the charts. The song’s subsequent use in a Chevrolet Sonic commercial during the 2012 Super Bowl pushed it to No. 1.

Tonight, “We Are Young” won a Grammy for Song of the Year, with Fun named best new artist. In their emotional acceptance speech the trio didn’t mention Glee but they probably should have.Glee music supervisor PJ Bloom was given a copy of the single ahead of its release and has admitted he was reluctant at first. “Glee doesn’t break bands,” he told Billboard last year. “We celebrate existing pop success — that’s our core model.” But after listening to the song once, he changed his mind and sent the song to Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy, who went on to build one of the key scenes of the season, performed by the entire young cast of the series. With that, Fun became the first new band Glee has broken. The success of the group and “We Are Young” will no doubt encourage more aspiring artists to seek the Fox show — which remains a music force despite declining ratings — as a launching pad.

Fun was not the only big Grammy winner tonight to have benefited by a cover on Glee. Gotye‘s “Somebody That I Used to Know”, which landed the coveted Record Of The Year prize, too got a strong boost when performed on Glee in a talked-about scene. (He also won for best Alternative album.) Gotye’s original had premiered at No. 91 in the U.S. in January 2012. It wasn’t until the Glee cover by Matt Bomer and Darren Criss on April 10 kicked off a string of high-profile performances of the song, including by Phillip Phillips on American Idol the next night and by Gotye and Kimbra on Saturday Night Live three days later, that propelled the song to No. 1, turning it into a mega hit overnight. The success has gone both ways, with the Glee versions of the two songs also enjoying blockbuster sales. Which proves that the show should probably stray more often from its tried-and-true pop hit covers and take greater risks with artists outside the mainstream.

20 Comments

Music lover • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Sorry, but they’ll be forgotten in two years.

Benn • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Glee has a lot of problems, but reasons like this are why I tune in. Example: A Great Big World’s “This Is The New Year” 2 week ago on Glee. Without Glee, I probably never would have heard them, and I bought everything they had on iTunes that night.

If they keep going after songs and artists like all of these, their music success will continue.

Em • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Glee propelled the song onto the itunes chats, but it was the Chevy commercial that made it huge smash. And you’re reaching it with STIUTK. The song was already huge before Glee covered it. The Glee version might’ve gave it a small boost, but so did the SNL performance and many others.

When it comes down to it – Glee doesn’t deserve any credit. They still take versions or arrangement from other peoples songs and use them in their episodes without acknowledging the artist, as their own. Glad they have a taste of their own medicine.

Karl • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

GLEE should not get any credit for their success – well stated.

Javi • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

100% agree with this article. And I think something similar will happen with A Great New World and their song “THIS IS THE NEW YEAR”. Amazing song!! We’ll see what happens…

Frank • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

The songs you mentioned are from last season, when Glee had decent ratings and people used to care for this show . This season is another story the songs are selling badly and the ratings are in decline.
And if I remember correctly Gotye even hated it their cover of his song, Matt Bomer and Darren Criss butchered it.

Daw Johnson • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Actually, Glee launched the band Imagine Dragons in a similar way this season.

The band had some support ahead of the show, but “It’s Time” truly took off once Criss performed the song in the season premiere.

The actual Glee versions of songs aren’t selling particularly well, and the process of turning a song into a hit is much slower in the current season, but Glee still has the power to fuel little-known music to success.

Steve • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

The ratings decline is hardly exclusive to this season. Glee’s ratings have been in decline since midway through the second season. It’s the lifecycle of a phenomenon. It’ll never be the ratings juggernaut it once was, but it’s got a loyal core audience, so it’ll be a relatively steady hand for Fox.

bigbowood • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

There’s no such category as “best new song.”
Also, the Gotye song was already well on its way to global phenomenon status before the love from “Glee,” though Fun absolutely benefited from use on the show.

Bree • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

I agree with this full out. We are young wouldn’t had or would had taken longer to get where they are if it wash for Glee. There are a lot of songs that have been selling more cause of this show and people don’t appreciate that much. Yeah their ratings may be falling but thy doesn’t stop their songs from being on too. Recently, Let Me Love You covered by Jacob was at 11. It’s not top 5 but that means tht Glee still got it.

rennie • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Glee will probably get cancelled either after this season because of the declining ratings. The fun. and Gotye songs are fantastic. There are a lt of songs covered on Glee that don’t get any sort of boost from the tv show, so while the covers do help the original song get more exposure, the credit should still mainly go to fun. and Gotye for putting out fantastic music in the first place.

Ben • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

So the track won cause it’s a good song or because it got popular and sold well after Glee?

Tiffany • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Everyone needs to chill out… I love ‘Glee’ and I think when they use music from lesser known artists it definitely helps the bands out. I love all types of music but typically need a nudge when it comes to more indie music and seeing such bands as Fun. and Imagine Dragons on ‘Glee’ has helped open me up to listening to them; which is challenge with someone who is definitely into top 40/ mainstream hits. I think does a wonderful job of opening people’s ears to new music. And love ‘Glee’ or hate it, their versions of song almost ALWAYS get people talking!!

Bambi • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Real credit should be given to SiriusXM’s AltNation which was playing both songs before Glee got in on the action.

Daw Johnson • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Alt Nation is a tremendous station, but its ability to break music into the mainstream is very limited.

Look at the station’s Top 18 chart–there are some songs there that have never once reached a Top 40 format (from artists who are barely known and have only a few thousand Twitter followers)

Jason • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Am I the only one who cannot stand Lea Michelle’s voice? Aaaargghh.

Karl • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

No, you are not the only one. She’s incredibly overrated among other under performers such as Monteith, Overstreet and Morris.

Anonymous • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

You are misinformed. Glee is still huge for fox and certain of renewal. It lacked class of Fun note to recognise Glee. They were happy enough to ride coattails.

Nikki • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

Well songs don’t win awards if no one’s heard of them.

Sarah • on Feb 10, 2013 11:29 pm

I have had this conversation several times with my friends. Many Glee “Covers” are better than the origianls. I also love how Glee can take a song and turn it upside down and make you think of it in a way that song may not have been intended. I Wanna Hold Your Hand-sung by Kurt’s character was used to tell of his Mother death from cancer and his relationship with his father. Somebody I Used To Know-sung by Blaine and his brother Cooper about their relationship. If a song appears on Glee-sales go up. You really can’t argue. Those are facts. Good or bad. If your are not a fan of the show you’ll hate it. If you are a fan you love it. The actors they cast have amazing voices. No other show is like it. That is why it is such a hit. I don’t think it is going anywhere any time soon.